Children in Poverty. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Public Assistance and Unemployment Compensation of the Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Ninety-Ninth Congress, First Session. Serial No. 99-18.

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Ways and Means.

This hearing was held to review and address issues covered in the study, "Children in Poverty, 1959-1984." The study was conducted by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in order to examine demographic trends, economic factors, government policies, and other factors contributing to the high poverty rate among children, as well as policy options to reduce this problem. The first witness, Senator Daniel P. Moynihan of New York, made the point that an unusual trend is occurring in the United States in which the chances of a child being poor are six times as great as that of an older, retired person. The next witness, Velma W. Burke, a specialist in social legislation with the Library of Congress, summarized findings of the study by CRS, as follows: poverty rates among children have risen to the highest level since the mid-1960s; the increased rates reflect underlying demographic changes and the state of the economy; there is a trend toward greater inequality of income distribution which has increased children's poverty; and poverty rates have been affected by reduced government cash benefits to children. Rudolph G. Penner, Director of the CBO, then presented his office's portion of the study which considered, primarily, government programs combatting poverty and offered recommendations and options to improve these programs. The remainder of the hearing consisted of a question and answer period. Supporting documentation is also provided in this transcript. (CG)